[Author Index] [Date Index] [Thread Index]
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]

[ST] Devil Went Down to Georgia: The Report I



(I sent this out last night but it never made its way back to me for
some reason. Too long? I split it in two.)

I knew that last Thursday was going to be a slow day at work so I had
planned on hitting the road for Savannah at noon. I turned out to be
even slower than expected so I was able to be on the road at 11:30. It
was 70 degrees and sunny in New York City. It had all the makings of a
beautiful day for a ride. I had looked at the forecast and it looked
good. But that didn't matter, I was coming come hell or high water.

I checked my tire pressure and tightened up my rear preload two clicks.
The "Blue Devil" was loaded with all the bags. In the top box was my
sneakers and an extra helmet and jacket in case my son wanted to go for
a ride. The pannier on the left contained my tool kit, rain gear and an
extra set of gloves. The right pannier held my clothes. Kickstand up at
11:30am. My main goal was to hit the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel at sunset.

After I got out of the Holland Tunnel I stopped to gas up. I figured
that I would need to stop for gas until Delaware. Just before I pulled
out I fired up the CD that I had pack with MP3's. The first song to come
up was by Annie Lenox. I like to start my trips with that song. It's
kind of a reminder to be careful. "Walking on Broken Glass."

The ride down the NJ Turnpike was pretty uneventful. I was able to
maintain an 80 mph pace because there was barely any traffic. I saw very
few bikes heading north. Of the ones that I saw there was a Trophy and a
TT600. These were to be the only Triumphs that I would see for the
entire trip. There was a steady cross wind for a majority of ride down
the turnpike. Towards the end of the turnpike my neck was really
beginning to bother me from straining against the crosswind. "Oh great,"
I thought. "I'm still in New Jersey and I'm starting to ache." The music
and my personal own karaoke contest kept my mind off of it.

About 25 miles from the Delaware Memorial Bridge one of the cars ahead
hit it's brakes. I immediately slowed down to the 65 mph limit just in
time to find a state trooper hiding behind a bush. With one eye on the
road and the other on the mirror I waited a minute or two before opening
it back up. The next song up was The Clash's "I Fought the Law." Nope.
Didn't win this time.

The crosswind picked up as I crossed over the Delaware River. I like to
think of crosswinds as a challenge and a wake-up call. It was keeping me
on my toes.

I continued through Delaware on Rt. 13 bopping to the music and standing
up at stop lights to relieve the ache that was starting to attack my
butt. Delaware has one of those high-speed EZ-Pass lanes where you roll
right through at the speed limit without having to slow down to 5 or 10
mph. At one intersection I glance ahead into the next lane and see
something that I had never seen before. A unidentifiable sport bike with
a two-tone purple and green metal-flake finish. Not the tiny metal flake
paints that are common today but the sparkly stuff that was popular in
the seventies.

Further along Rt. 13 rolls through some small communities. Those little
towns where lives goes along at an even pace. As these pleasant thoughts
are running through my head, Johnny Cash breaks into "I've Been
Everywhere." The grin was making helmet tight. I must have been the
sight, bopping my head and tapping my toes.

Near the Maryland border, I realize that it has been about 200 mile
since I left Jersey City. Time to stop for gas soon. Monty Python's
"Usage of the Word 'Fuck'" is playing. I start looking for a gas station
that sells snacks. As I cross the Maryland border, the monologue ends,
there is a pause, a drum roll then Kermit the Frog shouts "It's the
Muppet Show." The timing was impeccable. I couldn't have planned that
one if I tried.

I forgot all about the gas situation until the light came on. I know
that I am good for at least 20 miles and I didn't want to find out how
far I could go so I pulled into the first place I find. I fill the tank,
grab a drink and a snack then call the wife to let her know of my
progress and that I'm still rolling. It was so nice just to stand for a
while. After 4 hours on my tookus I wanted to let it breath. Before I
pull out I make room in my bladder for the drink that I just finished.
While in the rest room I figure it's a good time to wash the bugs from
my face shield. Before saddling up I took out my map and studied my
route through the Norfolk area. I wanted to be on the Chesapeake Bay
Bridge Tunnel at sunset but I knew that I was way ahead of schedule.

Maryland was a short ride compared to the previous two states that I had
trekked through. I rolled on through farmland, gentle curves, and low
rises. By now I'm into the Nerf Herder portion of my musical selection.
Laughing and singing while riding my steed through this pretty area.

The road continued that way through the Virginia portion of the
Del-Mar-Va peninsula. As I approached the Bridge-Tunnel the wind started
to increase. It was more than an hour to go before sunset. The sun was
low in the sky and I was spending half my time in the shade. I was
starting to feel the chill, I zipped up the flaps on my Vanson Avenger
jacket there was not much that I could do about the perforated leather
pants.

At the toll plaza I had to stop and pull out my money. No EZ-Pass here.
The grease track at the plaza looked quite ominous. Do they ever clean
this up? I don't think so. Considering how many vehicles pass through
the various tunnels around New York City I had never seen anything quite
this bad. Once out of the gate the wind really started. In order to
lessen the effects of the crosswind that was coming in from the Atlantic
I had to increase my speed. Not a problem on my trusty steed!

Part II to follow shortly

- -- 
Steve Lawler
Verona, NJ, USA, Earth

2001 Sprint ST "Blue Devil"

"Maturity is only a short break in adolescence."
            -- Jules Feiffer


     *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *
      The ST/RS Mailing list is sponsored by Jack Lilley Ltd.
          http://www.TriumphNet.com/st/lilley for more info
   http://www.TriumphNet.com/st for ST, RS and Mailing List info

=-=-=-= Next Message =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=