Day 10 - Motorcycle Cannonball Run

LAURA ON THE ROAD WITH TEAM EFFIE – “Putt, Putt, Putting along” (Day 10 - September 20)

We touched 3 states today (Monday, September 20), the longest day of the run at 293 miles. I can only speak for our team, but I know we entered into it with a positive attitude, but also wondering if it was going to be another day like yesterday, which was trying and exhausting. I’m happy to report that for us, it wasn’t. It was really very calm and peaceful. Which was such a blessing. We crossed the plains of Texas which was surprisingly scenic. The sky couldn’t have been more blue, and we were able to ride up into the pack a little further today because there didn’t seem to be as many bikes pulled off to the side. Bonus! I got some great photos of riders we haven’t gotten to see yet and we had a relaxing day. A day to ponder, breathe in the beauty around us, cherish..

DAY 10 - Smiles to start the day even though we didn't know what to expect from 293 miles..the longest day of the journey. Turns out, it wasn't as hot as it was thought it would be, we didn't have any major problems on Team Effie, and as sweepers today, we weren't even doing roadside repairs. For us, the day was....peaceful, ironically enough.

We saw four tarantulas crossing the road today, Athena was excited to see her first tumbleweed, and Pat taught us all about bees after Athena shared that she is allergic. Seems he’s studied them quite extensively. Who knew? I texted my daughters about the tarantulas. They thought that was incredibly gross. EEWWWW. But then Erika said “take a picture of one and text it to me”. Sorry love, I’m NOT getting that close to a tarantula. And the rest of the day when we stopped roadside, I was completely freaked out about walking in the grass.

If you’ve never heard of Gloria Struck, an 85 year old super cool lady who joined the Motor Maids in 1946, you should Google her and read more about her. She’s one of those ladies that you just can’t get enough of. She entrances you with her stories from all her years of riding, and blesses you by sharing what riding has meant in her life. One of her stories is about a TT race that she entered many years ago. She was the only woman and she was on a bigger bike, with the men in the race on “woods bikes” (I had to ask what that was the first time I heard the story, and learned that a woods bike is a dirt bike). There was dirt and mountain roads, ice and snow...and these guys continued to pass her. When she tells the story she explains how she just kept “putt, putt, putting along” not letting any of it bother her – another would pass her, and she’d putt putt putt along and when she turned the corner she’d see them wiped out because they were going too fast. Gloria won the race that day with her perseverance and her putt putt putting along and she tells that that is the most cherished trophy she has.

That story came to mind yesterday because as we rode up further into the group, that’s what I saw and was reminded of. The putt putt putting along. The weather ended up cooler than we expected, the roads were nice except for the first 20 miles or so. And the riders were just putt putt putting along.

We saw Bill Rodencal out there finally, Jeff Decker, Jon Szalay, Bill Nugent was riding doing “Miles for Matt”. The German couple was stopped and we thought “oh no” but when we stopped to assist and asked if they were ok, they said “just taking our daily photo.” And they had chosen a beautiful spot to do so. Urban Hirsch was out there for a while. He eventually ended up on his trailer, but it was good to see him putt putt putting along.

DAY 10 - MILES FOR MATT!!!! #27 Bill Nugent has Matt Olsen's number 85 on his Sears and is asking for people to pledge an amount per mile that he rides, and the money will go to Matt to repair his Sears that he crashed on early in the run. Or for medical bills, etc. Anyone interested? Who knows, money collected might get Matt to Santa Monica to be there on the finish line to greet the Cannonballers! Matt is at home recovering in South Dakota right now.

Cris was riding with the Roughians again today so that in itself gives us a sense of peace. We know she’s in good hands and it eases our minds. We eventually caught up to them in Tulia, Texas, population 4700. They had found a diner called Dorothy’s. We went inside and joined them and they all seemed relaxed and to be enjoying the ride today. So deserved. These riders and crews don’t have the word quit in their vocabulary and to have a nice calm day…you could read on their faces how special it was. We were told that “you haven’t lived until you’ve had fried Okra at Dorothy’s” so of course we had to try it. It was good. I’ve now lived.

It wasn’t long before the local newspaper crew was at Dorothy’s with us wondering what is going on. This was not a hosted lunch today so it was rider’s choice as to where they ate and took a break – so they didn’t know about the Motorcycle Cannonball nor expect these bikes to come through their town. I can just imagine the phone calls going on in town when antique bikes were lined up in front of Dorothy’s. “Mable, something’s going on down at Dorothy’s you better get over there!”

As with all the amazing people we’ve met along these roads, they were very welcoming and so happy that a few from the group stopped in their town. They were extra excited when they learned that Pat Simmons from the Doobie Brothers was one of the people they were talking too. It’s been fun hanging with rock star Pat. Some know right away who he is, some don’t, some just look at him like “I know you from somewhere” but can’t quite pinpoint it. He’s a regular guy and it’s been fun getting to know him. He’s very humble and always willing to stop and talk, sign autographs, take a photo. A gracious man indeed.

We finished at High Plains Harley Davidson where we were welcomed by a crowd once again.
Cris and Effie did great today. It’s so good to see Cris smile. Of course she loves it best when Effie is completely happy, so it’s been a process to come to a point of accepting that Effie needs extra TLC is all. Effie is just old and with these bikes, there’s always some sort of adjusting or tweaking needed, even as you putt putt putt along. As Cris and Effie have bonded, it seems that that is happening. It seems that most of the bikes are running better and better as we go. I could feel that in the crowd today. While we still heard of problems reported – Dale Walksler had his front cylinder seize and walked his bike a mile and ½, Buzz Kanter had a motor problem, but they are all fixed up and back on the road today.

Seems nothing is impossible out here. If something breaks, you fix it. If you need a part you find it. If you can’t find it, you make it. Vince Martinico had to use a spring from a 350 Chevy, Jon Szalay has a rod from a caterpillar fork lift in his motor. It’s story after story after story of amazing spirit, quitting not being an option, and absolute ingenuity.

DAY 10 - Starting out from Oklahoma to Clovis, NM

DAY 10 - #44, Jon Szalay has quite a story. Today, we were absolutely thrilled to see him out on the road! GO JON! He looks happy to be there too. See/read more about Jon on http://www.motorcyclecannonball.com/. Buzz Kanter did a cool video about him. This man has a lathe in the back of his van. He's serious.

Godspeed,
Laura Klock