New Years Day Ride Report  1/1/09

 

Another SAFE HRC Ride

 

Good day to all.  First of all I would like to start this note out saying that I am not an author like our fearless leader Greg. Second of all I would wish Ken Cimetta all the best from all the New Years Day Riders.   I let everyone know of Ken’s latest struggle in life. 

 

The day started off a little strange compared to most of our HRC Rides.  I arrived at Cracker Barrel for my famous Pecan Pancakes at about 6:20 to find Robbie from Ireland outside smoking a cigarette. I said hello and quickly went inside to avoid his smoke.  I then ran into Edel his wife.  They are here visiting for approx. 6 weeks. Very nice couple and enjoying life to the MAX.  After sitting for a few minutes, Mark Harnish and his wife Gidget and Paul Cantore came in and sat down.  We all ate but were running a few minutes behind by the time we actually left the CB.   

I knew we would be running late to the next destination and I didn’t want Nick and the gang to think we forgot them, so I called Greg to contact Nick as I didn’t have his cell number.  (I do now) Nick never did get that call for some reason  (the number Greg had for Nick’s cell phone was also incorrect) .

We were waiting outside for Gidget and after a few minutes Mark said something happened and she decided not to go and had to wait for her son to come pick her up.  Now it is about 7:25.  We were ready to mount our bikes and Paul looked down at Robbie’s tires and said they look low.   I agreed and asked him when he checked them last. He bought this 2008 GW 1 year ago and left it in his wife’s sisters’ garage for ONE YEAR!!!  He got on the bike and decided to go 350 miles round trip without checking the pressure.  He had 8 in the front and 14 in the back I think.  Not 100 % sure of the pressures but you get the drift.  Very dangerous to be the bike (s) behind them.  Paul MAY have saved a life that day.  I told Robbie he better buy Paul a hamburger. Instead he is sending him a Gold Wing shirt from Ireland. (Hopefully)

We got air in the tires and headed South to pick up the gang. Before we left, I had asked everyone if they were along just to enjoy a ride or did they want walk Key West for the three hours.  All agreed to eat lunch then come right back.  We had a beautiful ride down thru Card Sound and passed about 8 cars the entire way on CS Road.  On Big Pine Key, there had always been a pub called NONAME.  I tried finding it but GPS said it was in an abandoned field.  May have burned down.  The pub walls had dollar bills all over the drywall instead of paint. It is a neat place to visit especially if you have never seen it and NO one on the trip had heard of it.  That took us out of our way 15 minutes each way.

We finally got to Key West via Beachside by Airport and got all the bikes in front of the little non lit lighthouse marking the last destination in the United States.  We had some drunk take a crap load of pictures with various cameras.  Hope we got them all back.  I gave him 5 bucks for his Budweiser.

We got to Hog’s Breath Saloon at 12:30 and planned to head out after lunch.  Robbie and Edel decide to stay in Key West overnight, Nick Cross had to go home and clean the house before Carmen and the kids got home and I then made plans to go to a football game with my daughter as we would be home a few hours earlier than planned.  As we got up to leave everyone decided to stay and walk around after all.  Nick had already left so I came home alone.  I assume everyone got home safely but it was an awesome day all in all. Happy New Year to all.  Good Luck Ken 

Riders: Doug Johnson, Nick Cross, Robbie and Edel Noland, Mark Harnish, Crazy Kenny Aronoff, Gabriel Rosado, Jorge and Raquel Morales,Ted and Karla Hyde and Paul Cantore.