Now Mike described the motorcycles themselves but it is at least a little interesting to know how we came to get these two particular bikes. We had done a lot of talking and even some looking but until we actually had something to ride this whole process was just an exercise- there’s many a slip between cup and lip, as the saying goes. I had told Mike that I would be looking at a bike that I was interested in for him on a particular Thursday, my day off. That afternoon he called to ask if I was, in fact, going to see it. I was and told him I’d let him know what I thought after I had looked at it. The bike was everything that the seller had represented it to be and I bought it after a brief test ride. The guy we bought it from was kind of a service nut, in the sense that he loved working on and improving this bike. Anyway, I had not called Mike back and his curiosity must have kicked in because he called me back before I could call and tell him that the deal was done. He asked, “How did you like it? What do you think, is this the one?” He said he’d be glad to ride over if I thought it might help to have a second opinion. After we talked about it another minute or so Mike said something like, “So, what ‘cha think?” I said I think I’m on the way to Clemson to deliver you a bike! It took me about 1 ½ hours to get to Clemson from Greenwood. When I got the bike to Mike’s house it took about 10 minutes to unload and check over and talk about and touch and sit on and all the sudden, Mike cranked it up (I didn’t know how!) and rode off. That was one fun afternoon!
My story is not as fun. It was more a matter of persistence. I looked at maybe 100 bikes, calling owners or dealers and getting specifics on their listings. I made a few offers on bikes similar to the one we’d gotten for Mike but never could get to the point of making a deal. Finally one day I saw an on-line add for a BMW R1150R bike at Rider’s Hill in Dahlonega, Georgia. The dealer described the current owner as kind of a nerd- he said, “You know, the kind that likes to perform all the required services at the right intervals, a little OCD.” I told him that I knew someone a little like that myself and that was OK! Mike and I rode to Dahlonega in our Toyota Tundra, picked it up and rode home. When we got home Mike wanted to unload it right away. He was in a hurry to get over to his girlfriend Megan’s house to help with a 10K race taking place the following morning. It also took about 10 minutes to unload and check over and touch and sit on and all the sudden, Mike cranked it up and rode off. Hey, that’s getting to be a common theme!
-Alan
Sorry dad, but this time I flew solo--or not solo exactly, but w/o my 'wingman'. Earlier this week, Mc (Megan) expressed interest in visiting Highlands, NC--which before this afternoon, she had never seen. I would like to be able to say that taking the bike was my idea, but she included that in her pitch when she asked me if we could go soon. So, since I have no Friday classes this semester, we decided (quite spontaneously) that we would head to Highlands for the day. I doubt that she knew what she was getting into though--and neither did I! We found out one corner at a time that highway 28 from Walhalla, SC to Highlands is one of the twistiest, curviest (banked curves for your pleasure!) funnest roads that mankind has ever constructed. I mean, we're talking those '15mph'-sign curves that you can literally feel the G-force while whipping around them. Mc even shared in my first 'foot-peg scrape'--which apparently in the motorcycle world lets ya know that you're a bad-A, haha...or at the very least tells you that you've maxed out the leanage on your bike. It gave me chills. I let out a huge squeal...or grunt, yes a grunt...Mc didn't even notice what had taken-place. God gave us a b-e-a-utiful day to enjoy the scenery as well. The only draw-back was that it was 30 degrees--which means that no matter how good your gear is, your feet, hands and knees WILL get frost-bitten and fall-off! So, by the time we reached Highlands Mc and I were ready to sit down in a warm cafe for a cup 'a joe--and Mc fairly dashed from the bike to the door! After coffee and key-lime pie, we spent the afternoon walking around and window-shopping at the 'cutest' stores. After one more cup of coffee and a bearclaw (we felt the need to patronize since we left all of our gear in their cafe while we walked around) we headed out via hwy 64 towards Brevard. We took hwy 281, which turns into hwy 130 which crosses hwy 11 and eventually brings you past lake keowee and into the back side of Clemson. And even though all of this may not seem very pertinent to 'Mike and Alan's big trip' I thought it worth-while to share, on account of I put about 3 more hours and 130 more miles of riding under my belt!! Nothin' like a good day in God's creation with your girl behind ya!
This one's mine. It's a BMW F650. People who ride these call them 'thumpers' because of the neat sound the engine makes. It's a bit more of a dual-sport bike, but it's got the power to ride 70mph all day (and even saves some extra kick for passing those slower drivers) if you can handle the rougher ride--which I think I can! I like this one because it sits a bit higher than the average bike, and can really lay down on those curvy mountain roads.
When I was a youngin' dad would tell me "Mike, if you still love me when you're 21, we'll grow pony-tails and ride motorcycles around the country." This was little more than a childhood dream for years and years, and was eventually forgotten in the normal course of time and growing-up. Forgotten until dad entered what I could only define as a very note-worthy midlife crisis, where among many other things, he purchased two motorcycles and began mapping a trip around the country. That was this past fall, and since then we've both taken a MC-Safety course, gotten our SC Motorcycle licenses, and commenced taking afternoon rides (the longest of which to date has been a little under 300mi.) to get some practice. We'll take the 'Big Trip' in May once school and graduation are over. Dad's thinking it will take us anywhere between 3 and 5 weeks. So stay with us and we'll keep everyone posted during the rest of the planning stages and 'warm-up' rides throughout the spring, and on into the trip when the time comes!
