Close Call....common mistake!

I really need to post our stories a little faster! The more time that passes the less I tend to remember. Sort of like those dumb bell weights in my basement--the longer they sit the heavier they seem to get! I was going through the pictures that I took on this year's trip and came across some from the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio. I recall Brad and I were riding through Wheeling, West Virginia when traffic came to a stop. Brad was listening to the truckers talk on the CB radio and found an alternate route around all the traffic and across the bridge into Ohio. That CB radio helped us many times in the past to avoid traffic delays and speed traps while traveling on the highway. My FM radio only helped us once when we were riding through Toronto and the local radio announcer said there was some wire cable that fell off a truck and was in the middle of the fast lane. Luckily I heard the announcement and changed lanes. There are many riders not so lucky. While having lunch in New York this year we heard about a motorcyclist who was about 10 minutes in front of us who swerved to avoid a piece of furniture that fell out of a pick-up truck just in front of him. During the swerve he was run over by a tractor and trailer truck. We hear about accidents similar to this all the time. When you are out riding don't get in a hurry and stay alert!

I've been riding motorcycles since I was 10 years old...about 28 years now. Since I've transitioned from dirt bikes to street bikes I've taken a safety course about every other year. Mainly because it is a Marine Corps requirement for motorcyclists but I really enjoy taking the safety courses. I learn something new or develop my skills each time I take a course. It is fun to maneuver around all the cones in the parking lot and a good way to meet other safety conscious riders too! Anyway back to my story. During our 2009 trip I made a very bad mistake and luckily no one was injured. My mistake is a common mistake and the same mistake that Bruce Rossmeyer, the world's #1 Harley-Davidson dealer known for the famous Destination Daytona resort, fatally made in July of this year. We were in New Hampshire or Vermont I don't recall exactly but during lunch that day we met two local bikers named Cheech and Mo. I remember their names like Cheech and Chong...no offence guys (if you are reading this!). We were heading in the same direction and I was the lead bike. We were cruising down a country road about 50 mph and I must have been day dreaming in the warm sunshine. There was an F250 several car lengths in front of me. It slowed down and moved to the right side of the lane. There was a covered bridge gift shop to the right so I figured the F250 was going to slow and turn right into the parking lot. After all it changed lane position to the right portion of the lane. The truck put its left turn signal on but it didn't make sense to me because the truck clearly moved to the right side of the lane. In one instance I thought that perhaps the truck turned on the hazard lights and the right signal was burned out. I moved across the center line to pass the F250. Just as I was approaching the truck--it turned LEFT!! In an instant I could have been road kill and what about the bikes behind me? Clearly not a good situation!! All at the same time I rolled on the throttle, swerved further left, heard the trucks brakes lock up, saw the woman driver beating against the window (may have been flipping me off and cursing at me:) and noted that the bike behind me went around the truck on the right side. The other two bikes stopped. I was so angry at myself for leading the group into that deadly situation. The reality is one small unsuspecting split second decision can lead to a disaster! Ride Safe in 2010!!

Finding a hotel in Endicott and Vestal, New York

We were riding south through the Adirondack Mountains and decided that we’d need to take an interstate westward in order to get back to Illinois. I had to get back home in time to take the kids to our town’s annual festival. There were only a few highways to choose from to go west. We were already south of I-90 so we considered making our way over to I-86 or I-80. We were on the eastern side of New York near I-81 and there were no highway that headed west. We kept going south with the idea that we’d turn right (west) on a decent road and find our way like we usually do. Late that afternoon we didn’t make much progress west and found ourselves in a small town looking for a diner and hotel. We found a diner and had a small meal. We were off the highway and between small towns.

Inside the diner we ate and asked the waitress about the local area and hotels. A couple sitting at a table across the aisle heard us and join in conversation about riding motorcycles. Turns out this woman just had her Softail Deuce converted to a trike! We were surprised because the woman told us she was over 70 years old. Her and her husband has been riding for about 50 years. This couple had some good stories.

We got directions to a couple hotels with pubs near them. We were near two towns, Endicott and Vestal. The directions from the diner were simple. Problem is I made a wrong turn and got on a highway. I thought no big deal; we’ll simply get off at the next exit and work our way back on the road that parallels the highway. It was already dark and chilly. Somewhere along the way we forgot exactly what the folks at the diner told us. They either said stay in Endicott or STAY AWAY from hotels in Endicott.

We found the main street that fit the description given at the diner. We found the motel they told us about. The motel’s building was U shaped with parking in the center of the U. All the rooms opened outside to the center as well. In the middle of the building we found the door labeled Manager Office and stopped in front of the door. Still sitting on our bikes we peer through an open door beside the Manager Office. A shirtless fat guy was sitting up in a bed motioning us to come on over. I start looking at the remaining doors in the two story motel and see other people come out to the catwalk. We both got the feeling that we should not stay in this place. So we put the bikes in gear and zoomed away before we got shot or something.

We pulled into a gas station down the street from the motel and asked a gentleman if there were any other hotels in the area. We got some directions and went on our way. The next hotel was a pretty big 5 story building. We pulled into the parking lot at the end of the building and had to turn around to pass through a gate type entrance to the hotel that led under the building and into a parking lot on the back side of the building. As we turned the bikes around and rode through the gate, I noticed a bunch of women that came out and stood leaning against the hotel balcony on the main street. On the back side of the hotel we looked for the best place to park near the registration office. The parking lot was not very full. We turned the bikes off to talk before dismounting. A door on the second floor balcony is flung open. Out came a rough looking woman in a night gown waving us to come in. A quick look at the rest of the rooms alerted us to the newspaper taped inside all the windows. More doors started opening and it seemed like this hotel was filled with mental patients. Normally we may fit in but again we zoomed off a little bewildered thinking some of the folks in the diner that gave us directions were playing a prank on us by sending us to these two shady hotels. We think, did the diner folks tell us to stay in Endicott or STAY AWAY from hotels there.

We agreed to ride a short distance down the road and try one more hotel. We found one and pulled in front of the hotel. We stopped our bikes under the entrance at the hotel. This hotel type has a covered area for unloading luggage in front of the registration desk. We could see the hotel clerk standing inside behind the desk. We glanced at him a few times and it seemed he was eagerly waiting to see if we were going to stay. Again the area did not look desirable and no bar was within walking distance. We discussed trying the town on the other side of the highway. We made U-turns under the covered entrance. We looked at the hotel guy behind the counter and saw him clapping his hands and smiling. He was celebrating that the biker guys were not going to stay at his hotel. What a businessman! We conclude to stay away from Endicott!

We crossed the river and highway into the town of Vestal and immediately saw a difference. We found a new hotel with Wifi and complementary breakfast! Wahoo! Brad even grinded the night manager down and got us a good deal on the room.

We unpacked the bikes and walked down the street to the local bar. This was a great place. On our second round of drinks I handed the barmaid a twenty dollar bill and she gave me over thirty dollars in change! WAHOO! We can drink here and get paid for it! We were honest and corrected the mistake. We’ve had enough close calls without calling upon karma.