I get by with a little help from amazing people

I swear I am blessed to have some absolutely amazing people in my life! I don't understand it, but I'll take it.

This blog will likely be everywhere because my head kind of is right now. You've been warned!  ; )

Anyhooo ... Grandma died last Moday. This has affected me in odd ways at odd times, and still does.

Grace was the sweetest person. She lived up to her name to say the least.  I could go on lauding that woman ad nauseum ... as could anyone who had the privilege to meet her.

The plan was to hold her service on Saturday. There was no way I was going to be able to go.

Between cash flow and unreliable vehicles that we just hope get us to work and back daily, there was just no way! Conversely, there was no way we could not be there.

Megan and Melissa started searching for a deal on a car rental. They landed a weekend rate in Knoxville for an economy car that was manageable. However, Enterprise did not wish to pick Megan up in Jefferson City.   ; )  

It was arranged that she would pick it up Thursday night at closing, That way we could leave for Massachusetts  early on Friday.

Meanwhile, Sean and I, were set to go see a band called Nothing More on Wednesday night. It was an early show, so I planned on going straight home after work, shower, eat, and head out. PLANS! HARUMPH!!

I did good. I rolled right past my local bar without stopping (which was packed already). About two miles from home, the bike .... quits! WTF?!?

The KLR only sputters when I need to switch the gas from "on" to "res"(erve). Otherwise, it just putts along. (Sigh!)

I coast to a safe spot to look at it. This entailed hitting the starter button a few times. NOTHING!

Alright! I  break out tools, strip off tupperware, and start looking at wiring. Wiggle, pull, caress, looking for bare or broken wire. NOTHING!

I bump the starter and BAM! had power. By now, I had called Melissa as it is getting late. She had just showed with a cold drink. I wrap stuff up, start up, and it quits again 300 yards up the road.

ARGGHH! There was a church there so I  coasted it into the back and got in the Jeep. The Jeep is not happy, and is now, not charging!

REALLY!? DOUBLE ARGH! or something.

I get home call Sean (Sean is one of those amazing people in my life mentioned above) and tell him what is going oñ and he offers to come get me. I told him I'd be walking. He told me there was no need, but I told him I NEEDED to walk!!

He showed with a cold bottle of water for me because he figured I was too upset to think to grab one myself. Whatta guy!

The rest of the night went great. Always enjoy the time! and Nothing More always puts on a great show!

I couldn't get to work Thursday because of vehicle problems. I determined the alternator wasn't charging and pulled it.

I called another buddy to see if he could come get me and drag my sorry ass to Auto Zone to get it tested. Ron, is also one of those reasons for the name of this post.

He shows up, we head over, get it tested, only to find out the alternator is good. Yippee! now I get to put it back on and keep searching.

I had asked Ron if we could stop by the church on the way back to see if the bike would start. He agreed and understood the impotrance of getting it home that evening.

It wouldn't turn over, so we rigged a tie strap and piece of rope together and he pulled me the two miles to the house. YAY! At least the bike was home ... because of the efforts of an amazing friend.

I slapped the alternator back on, cinched up the belt, and started it. All of a sudden it was charging. Huh?

I didn't "fix" anything, but ...  YAAYY! again. I went to bed smiling.

Had a brand new Toyota to ride until Sunday. It was nice to turn the key and not have to wonder what may happen. LOL

We spent Friday night at my Uncle David's place. He fed us well and gave us crash space fo' free, but what was great was a chance to catch up.

After dinner, Megan and Melissa headed upstairs while David tuned his TV to Velocity. Perfect gear head fodder for car guys.  He has been restoring (read as "collecting") old cars longer than I've been breathing.

It was nice! I don't think I've ever had that much one-on-one time with him. Good stuff.

He fixed us French Toast for breakfast which allowed us a little more time. Sadly, it passes all too quickly. We had to say our good-bye's so we could get to the funeral home.

It was a nice service. Afterwards, there was a get together for food and visiting. I've never been good in those mingling type settings, but I muddled through.

Grandpa died four years ago, and after all the "obligated" stuff, some of us headed to the closest bar and raised a glass. We just had to repeat this honorary gesture for Gram.

I guess a tradition has started. We now have archived footage of how Rockefellers observe a passing. Laughs can help balance the tears from earlier.

We closed the night at Teo's for more family time because that is an old favorite for us. More memories and smiles, I'll take it.

The drive home went fine. I got up Monday and didn't feel like going to work. it would be excused, but not paid, yet I stayed home.

Melissa went to therapy in the Jeep. It quit charging on the way home. UGH! I unplug the negative and put the battery on charge. I will need headlights in the morning.

Or not! After being on charge overnight, the battery is dead. Two revolutions and ... CLICK. Wonderful! Just fuggin wunnerful! I can't stand it!

I text Sean explaining the way things are, I don't think I'll be able to make it to the rock festival we were headed to this weekend because I cannot get to work now and money will be tight.

He tells me I can owe him later for gas and hotel so I won't have to miss out. To top that off, he loaned me his truck for the rest of the week so I can get to work. WOW!

AMAZING, absolutely AMAZING! I am blessed, lucky, undesrved, stunned.

Feed the Machine

Mindlessly, we are marching on
To the rhythm of the machine.
Day after day
Serving the master.

Make no mistake
Money rules all.
We all play the game
To the tune of the change in someone else's pockets!!!!

Tellico or bust

Hey is this thing on? Hello? Hello? .... Echooo, Echooo .....

It's been a while since I've done one of these (8/14 wow!). I'm a bit rusty, so go easy on me. ;)

 I HATE typing on my cell phone, but here we go ....

It's mid-April, so that means another Tellico SME. I still have yet to miss a Tellico event in the 12? years I've been a maggot.

Due to bald front and rear tires and the expense of moving, I haven't really rode much since the October Tellico SME. The week of the SME , I was able to get a rear sneaker but couldn't afford the pair.

You could barely see the wear bars on the front, but they were visible. The plan was to slab it to Knoxville, play a little on the Dragon and the Cherahola, then park Saturday if need be, and baby it via interstate the whole way home.

Again, the bike has been parked since late October. In that time, the tag has expired.

I headed over to pay that before leaving town only to find that there is a financial hold on it. The lady said it likely has to do with my license. I know what it's about and it amounts to a clerical error, basically.

Meh! I'm not fighting city hall today, I'm Tellico-bound! sketchy front tire, expired tag, suspended license and all. I did my equivalent of a hail Mary and pointed the bike to I-40.

While slabbing across 40, I felt what seemed to be a consistent  tapping on my left shoulder. I'm riding solo ...  WTF?!?

I check the mirror, and see it is the wind pushing against my suit. It didn't look like the material was being pushed in much, but I really felt it on the skin.

It was odd. I remember musing that it was my guardian angel patting me on the shoulder for not causing any undue stress.

I get to 129 and turn south and am fine until I get into Maryville. Then I see a cop coming off the entrance ramp,.

There was no time to slow down and get behind him and there are traffic lights ahead. Yippee!

At one of them he was within sight of that tag. I promptly pulled into the Foothills Mall parking lot to for a .... safety check. I should check my tire and ensure my gear was still fastened well.

With that took care of, Cloud9 and I are rollin' with no sight of Johnny. After that, my guardian angel wouldn't be tested again until much later.

The ride dowñ 129 to the Dragon was a bit crowded. I was thinking that help me behave.

However, by the time I got to the bottom of the mountain, there was no other southbound  traffic ... ALL THE WAY to the store.

Yeah, you're damn right I let that beast breathe a little. I should've clocked the run. (grin) That was good stuff.

There are pictures here if I can figure out how to do it on this device ...

http://xtremesportsphotography.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=0QAK028X050860&po=860&pc=1786

http://killboy.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=04RK02O00C0136&po=435&pc=954


If you looked that front tire still seems to be holding up. I continued to feed her a little down through the stretch along the river. You can just lay into those curves forever.

I had to stop for a splash of gas before crossing the Skyway. While stopped, I checked that front tire. It was still holding up okay. Yay!

Again, once I got to the fun stuff, I had a clear run. This is unreal.

I tore through the twisty bits by the Santeelah. By now, I was totally dialed in.

I was hitting the marks, just totally in tune with the bike and the road. It was amazing.

For context, the Skyway is 45 miles or so long. Playing a little on the Dragon, or along the river as I had been don't put as much heat into a tire as, oh I don't know .... a spirited run across the Skyway.

For whatever reason this bit of logical thought eluded me while I was in the act of doing just that. Uh Oh!

I DOO love that road though, and find it hard to behave up there. Remember that comment about not testing my guardian angel again until later? It's later!

I've just started coming down the mountain on the TN side, entering a hard right and the front skittered out for a moment. It's happened before, but it's always scary.

It washed and I instinctively pused that thing over more and it found traction. Either that, or the guardian angel that was with me pushed us over.

I hit that next left and it did it again. Same reaction, same result. It just happened ... twice. As Mr. Spriinger says, as you pull from that luck bag you better add to the skill bag.

It really wasn't until I got to Hunt's Lodge that I realized that my guardian angel really earned its wings today!

I have already awarded the dumbass to myself, but I know I'll  (deservedly) get more.

As it turned out Jack had a front tire that was the same brand and size tire as what I had ... and with about the same amount of tread as when I left the house. Maggots rock!

I decided to wait and change the tire Sat. while everyone was out riding that afternoon.

This would allow me more time with my maggot family as they filtered in.  The night passed way too quickly as I laughed with CMac, Paige, and Tim most of the night. Always a good time with them, I haven't laughed that hard for a while. Good stuff!

I have no idea how late I was up. Funny how that statement comes up when Christopher and I get together.

I slept in .. late ... like waaayyy after breakfast kind of late. I must've needed it. I know I felt rested when I finally did get up.

I mulled around a bit, then got motivated and pulled the front wheel. Jack led me through mounting it.

I put the wheel back on and went up to Tellico Beach to get some lunch. Did a quickie shakedown run up to the Bald River Falls turnoff and went back to camp.

Laughed a bunch more with great people that I just don't get to see often enough. The Saturday night fire tends to die early as most folks head out on Sunday.

On Sunday, I had the bike packed rather early (for me). I left a little before noon. I did baby it and the tire, bike, and rider made it home just fine.

Thanks again to Jack, Lori, and the group. These events are therapeutic for me.