Tuesday, September23, 2008 and we are now home with the laundry started, the mail collected and we’ve sorted through it all. Hubert is home with us after a great break away at the Clardy’s.
Today was a glorious day – we started in Jackson, TN which was a much more charming city than we imagined. We got over to Bob’s Honda a little before 8:30 and we were the first bike, but second people to arrive. The next few arrivals were the owner and one of the parts guys. This was a good omen. The parts guy checked the size before he even went inside the building. He returned shortly with a Bridgestone Hoop – the original tire for the SilverWing and actually the tire we prefer. So the foray into the car tire use will be delayed for a little while. Why did two shops in two separate locations have the very tire we needed at the exact moment in time we needed them? Not a coincidence, but interesting none the less – the dealership in Jackson, MS had ordered a complete set of replacement tires for all of the scoots they sell so they had a front and rear tire (Hoops) for the SilverWing in stock. In Jackson, TN the parts folks had ordered a rear tire for a customer and when it did not come in as quickly as they had hoped it would they ordered another. When they both arrived at the same time the parts folks were worried that they’d be stuck with a rear Hoop and would never be able to sell it. Too amazing for simple explanation.
We went out for coffee with Bob and another of his customers while our tire was being installed. Bob and his staff were simply some of the best folks we dealt with on our trip. Who would ever expect the people at a motorcycle dealership to be so very interested in our plight and have a real desire to see to it that we were happy with their service? We were so very pleased with their service and overall attitude toward us that we bought new helmets and jackets before we left. Wow, what dealership, I hope we have a chance to ride with them someday.
The rest of the ride home was remarkably uneventful.
Odd Bits and Observations
· The café we went to in Baxter Springs, KS had candy cigarettes and bubble gum cigars at the checkout counter.
· Dale had a zipper failure of the main zipper of his riding jacket this past Sunday. The tongue of the zipper had come loose and he could not unzip the jacket. We took a split ring key ring and rigged up a new zipper pull – problem solved.
· We had never seen the cable show “Monk” before this trip and we really like the show a lot. We see elements of each other in many of his behaviors.
· The change machine at the Laundromat in ES owes us 4 quarters.
· Travelling by motorcycle involves some risk and lots of adaptability.
· If you are willing and stick with it long enough people will show you their best.
Kim & Dale's space 